Stove



H. F. SMITH STOVE Aug. 16, 1927. 1,639,115

Filed July 10, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 llll 52M; WLM www il l) PatentedAug'. `16, 1927.

unirsesrArs-sqs-ATENT OFFICE.

HARRY F. SMITH, OF DAYTON, OHIO; ASSIGNOR TO THEv GAS RESEARCHC(ltill-HWY,y OF DAYTON, OHG', A CORPORATION O-F OHIO.

STOVE.

Application filed July 10.

The presentinvention relates to gas stoves.

One of the principal object-s of the invention is to provide a stove'forburning gaseous fuels, having valve and burner elements permitting theutilization ofy fuels of Widely varying characteristics. Another objectof the present invention is to provide such a stove with a combined gasvalve and manifold for use With either natural gas or producer gas.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent from the followingdescription taken in connection With the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig, 1 is a plan view of a stove, and source of fuel supply therefrom,constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the gas man1- fold and associated valves,forming part of the stove shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan View of the manifold and valves, portions thereof beingbroken'ayvay on the irregular section indicated by the line 3-3 of Fig.2; Y

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal vertical section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical cross section on the line 5 5 of Fig. 2;and

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5, showing a modified forni of manifoldand valve.

Gras stoves, asy heretofore Widely in use, have used either natural gasor city gas as l fuel. In recent years the use of natural gas as adomestic fuel has increased in tremendous proportions, and many sectionsof the county,-such for instance as the Middle lVest andSoutliWest,-rely almost entirely upon natural gas as a. domestic fuelfor cooking. But as is Well known the supply of natural gas, Withreference to thel demand, is constantly decreasing. This has causedconsiderable inconvenience, and even suffering in those regionsdepending upon natural gas for fuel; for in the Winter Whenthe demand isparticularly heavy the supply is frequently inadequate, so much so thatit` is often impossible to secure enoughgas for cooking purposes.

In order to assist in ameliorating this condition applicant has devisedl a small gas producer, for domestic use, which is adapted to supply aproducergas for all of the usual purposes to which natural gas or-citygas are generally put. But because of the verydif- 1924. LSerial No.725,172.

ferent characteristics of natural gas and producer gas, producer gasWill ordinarily not function satisfactorily in stove burners asheretofore designed for using natural gas. For example, it has beenfound, that producer gas Will not ordinarily burn'satisfacwill givesubstantially the lsame heating ef- F feet as natural gas, despite thebig disparity 1n the relative heat values. But in order to pass asufficient quantity of producer gas through the orifices of a naturalgas burner, to deliver the desired number of heat units in the gasburned, too high a velocity of ioW, is attained at the burner, and thishas heretofore caused the use of separate installations Where it Wasydesired to use natural gas for cooking, so long as available, and touse rproducer gas as a supplementary fuel.

But it has been found that if av burner is provided with suflicientlylarge orifices to give the desired lovv velocity of flow for producergas, such a burner Will also function satisfactorily and efhciently inthe burning of natural gas. And this discovery made possible the presentinvention, in Which the gas stove 10 is provided with burners 11, theorifices of Which are materially larger' than those ordinarily used inburners as heretofore designed`v this burner being connected throughsuitable conduits to the delivery pipe 12 of a gas producer illustrateddiagrammatically at 13, and also throughI the conduit 14 to a suitablesource or supply, of natural gas.

Fach of the conduits 12 and 14 may be directly connected to the burnersof the stove' with sui-table control valves, but Vpreferably' they areconnected to a gas Vmanifold or 'tu'- bular memberl 20 liavingone ormore gasr valv-es 21 at the rearof the manifold, tneslgas valves being;`adapted to be connected with suitable gas burners. Themanifold hereinillustrated is shown as having fourgas valves connected therewith but itWill,- be understoodthat any `numbermayl be 'used`vv and further thatwhen so desired a supple-- mental manifold 22'having additional gasvalves may be connected to the end of the manifold 20. -For the purposeof connecting the manifolos they may each be provided with suitablehalf-bosses Which lit together to form bosses 23 the latter beingengaged by suitable clamps 24 and bolts 25 for holding` the manifolds inproper relative position.

The manifold 2O is provided with a horizontally disposed longitudinallyextending partition 26 which divides it into a lower passage 27 adaptedto receive producer gas through pipe l2, and an upper passage 29 adaptedto receive natural gas through the pipe 14. The upper passage 29 issubdivided by means of a vert-ical longitudinally eX- tending partition3l and short transversely extending partitions 32 to provide airpassages 33 Which communicate with the atmospnere through ports 34, theopening of these ports being adjustable by means of the pivoted plates35. Wvhile an air passage 33 and suitable ports 35 have been providedfor each of the gas valves 2l it will be understood that certain of thepartitions 32 may be omitted whereby two or more air passages 33 may' becombined, and in such event one or more of the ports 34 may also beomitted as desired.

Referring particularly to Fig. 5 the gas valve is shown as having a gasvalve casing 36 consisting of the cover 37 and the cooperating parts ofthe manifold 20. rlhe rear Wall of the manifold .is provided with anoutwardly extending circular boss 38 having a flat valve .seat portion39 adapted to cooperate With the plate or dise valve or member 40. Thecover 3? lits snugly over the boss 33 and its outer end is contracted toform a discharge opening 4l which is adapted to be connected to asuitable gas burner.

Opposite each valve casing the horizontal partition 26 is provided withbosses 42 each having a central tapered aperture or opening 43 adaptedto receive the valve or turn plug 44. The turn plug 44 is provided witha central longitudinal passage 45 having a branch 46 which is adapte-dto register with the port or passage 47 formed in the Wall of thenatural gas passage 29. Threadedly mounted upon the inner end of theturn plug and in cooperation with the passage 45 is an apertured spud 43by means of which the amount of gas which passes through the centralaperture 45 is determined. The inner end of the turn plug 44 projectsWell into the valve easing 36, as shown, in order that thenatural gascoming through the passage 45 may be introduced into the interior of thevalve casing at a point most suitable for throwing in air from passage33 and causing its proper admiXture with the gas, Intermediate the spud43 and the valve plate 40 which is slidable but nenrotatable upon theturn plug 44 there is mounted a spring 49 which is adapted to hold thevalve plate 40 against the seat 39 and the plug 44 to its seat in thetapered aperture 43. rlhe valve plate 40 is provided with a port orpassage 50 which is adapted to cooperate with the ports or passages 5land 52 formed in the valve seat 39. Willen the port 50 registers Withthe port 5l then the air passage 33 is connected to the interior of thevalve casing 36, and at the same time the natural gas passage 29 is incommunication with the interior of the valve casing 36. But When theport 50 is in register With the port 52 then both the air pas-A` sageand the natural gas passage are not connect-ed to the interior of thecover 36 and so the supply of natural gas and air is cut olf from thecooperating burner, producer gas being then supplied the burner.

rlhe turn plug 44 is provided With an operating handle 53 by which itmay be turned to one of its several positions, the movement of thehandle 53 in a counterclockwise direction being limited by the fixedstop 54 and its movement in a clock- Wise direction being limited by thefixed stop 55. To admit natural gas to the gas valve the valve stem ismoved to the position shown in Fig. 5 in which position the valve handle53 is against the stop 54 as best shown in Fig. 2. In this position thevalve functions on the induction principle and natural gas is admittedto the gas valve from passage 29 through the ports and passages 4T, 46and 45, the required air for forming a suitable combustible mixturepassing in through the port 34, air passage 33 and ports 51 and 50. Therelative amounts of natural gas and of air required for a suitablemixture may be more or less permanently adjusted by means of the spud 48andv the cover plate 35, it being understood that thereafter the amountof gas admitted for immediate requirements is controlled by turning thevalve stem 44 in its seat as is customary in the common types of valvesfor use With natural gas.

`When it is desired to shut off the supply of natural gas the handle 53isturned doivn Wardly to the position shovvn at the extreme right ofFig. 2. A spring stop 56 is secured, as by means of a Vscreiv 57 to thelower portion of the manifold 20, the end of the spring stop 56 lying inthe path of movement of the handle 53. VWhen the apparatus is to be used`vvith natural gas the handle 53 is limited ln its movement by the fixedstop 54 and the spring stop 56.V Should it be desired to use theapparatus With producer gas then the spring stop 56 may be drawndownwardly out of the path ofthe handle 53 thereby permitting the latterto pass to the left of the spring stop 56. lo

admit producer gas to the gas-valve the handle 53 is moved toward thexedzstop 55. When moved `to bring the handle against the stop 55, theport in the valve plate registers with the port 52 -in the ,producer gaspassage 27, the ports 5l and 47 ybeing nowclosed, the producer gasthuspassing to the burner without the admixture of air, this being the.condition ordinarily required for proper burning 'of producer gas.

Fig. shows a second form of the invention similar in general arrangementto the form shown in Figs. 2 to: 5 but differing therefrom in variousdetails of construction. This form of the .invention is provided with aconical valve member 58 formedvintegrally with the valve stem 59 thebearing portion of the latter being cylindrical as indicated at 60. Theconical valve member. 58 cooperates with a similarly shaped .valve seat6l having a port at 52 communicating `with. the air passage 33 and aport at63 communicating with the producer gas passage 27, Valve member58 is provid-ed with a port 64 which is adapted to register with eitheryof the ports 62 and 63 depending on the position to which the valvestem is turned.

The valve stem is provided with a central port or passage 65 whichconnects with a branch port or passage 66 opening through the surface ofthe valve .member 58, this branch port being adapted to register withthe port or passage 67 connected with the natural gas passage 29vandopening through the surface of the valve seat 6l. The valve stem carriesat its end the threaded apertured spr-.d 48, which projects well intothe valve casing 36 and is arranged to discharge natural gas from thepassage 29 into he valve casing 36 near the throat or contracted portionof the latter whereby the natural gas may be properly7 mixed with theincoming air entering from the air passage 33. The valve member 58 isheld to its seat 6l by means of the spring 68 around the valve stem 60.

The form of gas manifold and valve illustrated in Fig. 6 is operated insubstantially the same manner as the form shown in Figs. 2 to 5, thatis, to admit naturalgas the operating handle 53 is moved between thespring stop 56 and the fixed stop 54, and when Fit is desired to admitproducer gas the operating handle is moved between the spring stop 56and the fixed stop 55, Figure 6 shows the position of the ports when theoperating handle 53 is against the fixed stop 54 and natural gas isbeing admitted to the valve.

It has `been found that certain metals are corroded in the'presence ofproducer gas yand as a consequence such metals are not suitable for usein gas valves designed for producer In Fig. 6 both the manifold 2Oandthe turnv plug; containing the cooperating valve nie1nber'58 and seat61 are shown as made of aluminum, this being a metal which is generallynot corroded by producer gas. It has been discovered that `there is aydecided tendency for cooperating sliding parts to seize unless theylare lubricated. When the yangle between the surface of the conicalvalve member and the axis of the valve stem is less than a certainamount then, both the valve member yand the valve seat being made ofaluminum, the valve lmember will seize or :bind against the valve seatunder the pressure of the spring 68' even though the cooperatingsurfacesy arc thoroughly lubricated. In Fig. 6 tliesurface of theconical valve sea-t is inclined .at an angle of substantially 45 degreesfrom the axis of thevalve stem. This angle has proven very satisfactoryfor practical operation. It will be understood that thisv anglefniay beincreased to any desired extent vand it maybe decreased .to aflimitedextent the limiting angle, thatis, theanglefbelow which it isimpractical to construct a valve without seizing or sticking of thecooperating aluminum parts, beingabout 25 degrees.

While such parts of the gas valve as have working or sliding surfacesexposed to the act-ion of the producer gas are preferably made ofaluminum, it willbe understood that the parts. maybe made of othermetals which resist the action of producer` gas as for example tin, leador certain .alloys of either of these metals. 'Thus in Fig. 5 themanifold which hasithe valve seat formed thereon is formed of aluminumand the cooperating valve member or plate 40 is made of a tin-lead.alloy commonly known Babbitt metal.

From the above description it will be apparent that the presentinvention provides a gas stove having the valves, burners, etc. soconstructed as to permit the utilization of fuels of widely differingcharacteristics, such as natural gas and producer gas, without theremoval or readjustment of any of the parts, a compact unitary gas valveand gas manifold of novel construction adapted to operate with eithernatural or producer gas which is simple in operation land constructionand which is inexpensive to manufacture.

hile the yfor-ms of apparatus herein de@ scribedconstitute preferredembodiments of the invention, it is to be understood that the inventionisv not .limited to these precise forms of apparatus, and that changesmay be madein either without de'partingfrom the scope of the inventionwhich is defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. In a stove of the character described, a

'aA conduit for-supplying natural gas kor the aluminum lli) like to saidburner, a conduit for supplying producer gas, or the like to saidburner, an air passage opening to atmosphere, a valve for controllingcommunication of said natural gas conduit and said air passage With saidburner element, said valve being constructed to effect an inductionaction, and a valve for controlling communication of said producer-gasConduit With said burner element, said valves being constructed toselectively control the supply of the respective gases to said burnerelement.

Y 2. In a stove of the character described, a burner element,constructed to burn natural gas or the like, or producer gas or thelike, a manifold having a passage for conducting natural gas or thelike, and a second passage for conducting producer gas or the like, andcontrol means for placing either passage independently into operativecommunication with the burner.

3. An apparatus of the character described comprising, in combination, aburner element, a control valve therefor, means associated with thecontrol valve and having a passage adapted to conduct natural gas and asecond passage adapted to conduct producer gas, and means for placingeither' of said passages in communication With the control valve, saidmeans having provisions for connecting the interior of the control valveWith the atmosphere While the first mentioned passage is incommunication With the control valve.

el. An apparatus of the character described comprising, in combination,al burner element, a control valve therefor, means associated With thecontrol valve and having a passage adapted to conduct natural and asecond passage adapted to conduct pros ducer gas, an operating handlefor said control valve, and a stop in the path of said handle adaptedfor positioning to permit free movement of the valve with respect toeither of said passages but to limit its movement With respect to theother passage, said stop being movable out of the path of said handle topermit movement of the control from operative connection With one ofsaid passages to the other.

5. An apparatus of the character described comprising, in combination, aburner element, a control valve therefor, comprising a casing havingports and passages for conducting natural gas, producer gas and airrespectively and adapted to be placed in communication With the interiorof said casing, and a single means for concurrently controlling thecommunication of said ports and passages with the casing.

6. An apparatus of the character described comprising, in combination, aburner element, a control valve therefor, comprising a casing havingports and passages for conducting natural gas, producer gas and airrespectively and adapted to be placed in communication with the interiorof said casing, and means for concurrently controlling the communicationof said ports and passages with the casing, said means including sagesWith the casing, said means including a turn plug for controlling one ofthe ports and passages to admit natural gas to the casing, and anintegral tapered valve member carried by said turn plug and adapted tocontrol the remaining ports and passages.

8. An apparatus of the character described comprising, in combination, aburner element, a control valve therefor, comprising a casing havingports and passages for conducting natural gas, producer gas and airrespectively and adapted to be placed in communication with the interiorof said casing, and means for concurrently controlling the communicationof said ports and lpassages With the casing, said means including avalve plug, a valve member longitudinally slidable on the valve stem andadapted to control certain of said ports and passages, and spring meansfor holding the valve member' to its seat.

9. An apparatus of the character described comprising, in combination, a`burner element, a control valve therefor, comprising a casing havingports and passages for conducting natural gas, producer gas and airrespectively and adapted to be placed in communication with the interiorof said casing, and means for concurrently controlling the communicationof said ports and passages With the casing, said means including a turnplug projecting into the valve casing and adapted to control theadmission of natural gas to the casing, and a valve member carried bythe valve stem and adapted to control the admission of air and producergas to the casing.

10. An apparatus of the character described, comprising a burner havinga fuel supply passage connected thereto, a plurality of gas valves, amanifold for said valves, said manifold having a longitudinally entending partition providing passages adapted to conduct natural andproducer gas, and another partition providing an air passage for one ofthe valves, and means for placing one or more of the passages incommunication With the burner fuel supply passage through said valves. h

l1. An apparatus of the character -described, comprising a burner havinga fuel supply passage connected thereto, a plurality of gas valves, amanifold for lsaid valves, said manifold having a longitudinally eX-tending horizontally disposed partition providing passages for 'naturaland producer gas, and a vertically disposed Wall extendinglongitudinally of the said natural gas pas- .sage to provide an airpassage, and means for placing one or more of the passages incommunication with the burner fuel supply passage through said valves.

l2. In a cooking stove, a burner element adapted to use natural gas orartificial gas, such as producer gas land the like, a manifold, apartition in said manifold dividing it. into two independent passages,one of Which is adapted for connection to a source of supply of naturalgas, and the other to a source of supply. of producer gas or the like, avalve fitting associated with each of .said passages, a fuel supply pipeconnecting said fitting to the burner, and a valve Within said itt-ingadapted for positioning to connect the producer gas side of saidmanifold to the burner While disconnecting the burner from the naturalgas side, or for connecting the natural gas side to the burner Whiledisconnecting the producer gas side from the burner, said valve casingalso having a passage connected to the air controlled by said valvewhich air passage is opened at the same time as the burner is connectedto the natural gas side of the mainifold and is closed When the burneris connected to the producer gas side.

13. In a cooking stove of the character described, a burner adapted touse natural gas or producer gas and the like, a fuel suping, and an airinlet opening, an extension 4on said valve casing connected to the fuelsupply pipe, a valve in said casing having an extension with a passagetherein, which extension is positioned Within the eXtension on the valvecasing to form in effect an injector, the air inlet opening of thecasing being adapted for connection to the said casing extension, thepassage in the valve extension being adapted for connection With thenatural gas inlet opening, and the producer gas inlet opening alsoleading into the said valve case extension, and means for positioningthe' valve to connect the producer gas inlet opening to the extensionWhile disconnecting the natural gas inlet opening and the air inletopening from the said extension, or to disconnect the producer gas inletopening from the extension and connect the air opening to the caseextension, and the natural gas inlet opening to the passage in the valveextension.

14;. In a gas cooking stove, a burner element adapted for theutilization of natural gas or producer gas and the like, a supply pipeconnected to said burn-ena natural gas supply pipe, a supply pipe forproducer gas or the like, an air passage opening to atmosphere, and asingle control valve for connecting the producer gas pipe to the supplypipe of the burner, or for connecting the natural gas pipe and the airpassage to the supply pipe of the burner to supply a mixture of naturalgas and air to said burner.

In testimony whereof I hereto affix my signature.

HARRY F. SMITH.

